Corn-husking machine and method



May 10, 1927. 1,327,838

R. COVER CORN HUSKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 27. '1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 10,1927. 1,627,838

R. COVER CORN HUSKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 27. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ay R. COVER CORN HUSKING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 27. 1921 s She ets-Sheet a M I, 4 ,1. Q 1 v @I m Patented M... 10, 1927.

PATENT o jzmg RALPH COVER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

COBN-HUSKING MACHINE AND METHOD.

Appfieation filed September 27, 1921, Serial No. 503,523. Renewed January 11, 1887.

My invention relates to mechanism of the general type disclosed in the patent to William H. Leister, 1,382,792, June 28, 1921,

and my Patent No. 1,458.221 dated June 12, I 1923, with improvements in the husking rolls or tumblers, and to an improved method of husking corn, for the performance of Wl'llCll the mechanism of the invent-ion is well adapted.

As to themcchanism, the general object is to improve the-arrangement of the ribs or corrugations on the tumbler surfaces so as to reduce the rib clearance required with eccentric tumbler surfaces, and for other reasons.

A further object is to provide means for tilting the ears as they travel along the tumbler surfaces, to improve the husking and silk stripping operation as more particularly explained hereafter.

Another object is to provide improved roll or tumbler mechanism which will operate on cars moving either butt first or tip first, and more particularly to provide 2 mechanism which operates with especial advantage on ears which are advanced butt (or stem end) first.

Another object is to improve various details of construction, as sutliciently described hereafter.

As to the method, the general object is to provide an improved method of manipulating corn ears during husking, in order to expedite the operation and more completely :25 remove the husks and silk without injury to the kernel.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufliciently described in connection with a detail description of the accompanying drawings which show certain exemplifying embodiments of the invention. After considering these, persons skilled in the art will understand that many variations, in addition to those described, may be made within the principles of the invention,

and I contemplate the employment of any structures and any modes of performance of the method that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the husking rolls,

enlarged. a

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a roll.-

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of; a roll, showing mainly ear-tilting lugs or. cams.

Fig. 7 is a section at 77, Fig. 6. v Fig. 8 is a detail view -o f a modified cam segment or roll section.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a roll, to illustrate a typical lug or cam contour.

Fig. 10 is an end view of a pair of rolls, showing a modified cam and cam. recess. arrangement.

Fig. 11 is an end elevation, showing modified roll-bearing supports.

The husking rolls or tumblers 1 and 2 are mounted on shafts 3 and 4, respectively. The axes of the shafts are parallel, and the axis of'shaft 4 is desirably lower than that, of shaft 3; and both of the axes are inclined downwardly from the feed to the discharge. end of the rolls. Shaft 3 runs in fixed bearr, ings 5 and shaft 4.- runs in movable bearings 6. The movable bearings may be carried by arms 7 pivoted at 8 on suitable frame members 9, which also carry the fixed bearings 5. The two frame members 9 at opposite ends, of the pair of rolls-may be a. part of. a complete roll frame 10 or may be secured to such: a frame, and this roll frame may be securedto a suitable main frame of a machine in which the roll mechanism isincorporated, this main frame being omitted in the present drawing.

The surfaces of the tumblers are eccentric to the axis of rotation, that is, in a cross section of a tumbler different points on' its periphery are located at different distances from the axis. This eccentric arran ement in the present case is specificall in t e approximate form of an ellipse, alt ough other.- eccentric. arrangements may be used. The preferred arrangement is such that the major ptical ax of one roll is always in line with the minor elliptical axis of the other roll when any of the elliptical v axes -are n alinement, and the rolls are driven in this relation b gears 11 on their respectlve shafts. The rolls may be driven in any convenient way, for instance, by a bevel gear 12 on shaft 3, engaged by a bevel pinion 13 on a transverse shaft 14, which may be.cons1dcred the initial driving member, or this shaft maybe driven from other shafts oroperative parts of a complete machine, such as a stem cutting or debuttin machine with which the hhsking mechanism may be .assoc1ated. A suitable conveyor, such' as a belt conveyor 15, is desirably provided to feed corn ears to the huskin rolls. This conveyor belt passes over rol s or lpulleys 16 and 17, and is driven in any suita le way, for instance, by a gear connection at 18 with shaft 14 or other intermediate 'shafting of a complete machine, the particular driving arrangement being immaterial for the purposes of the present invention. The ears in their passage along the husking rolls may be guided and prevented from lateral displacement by side guide walls 19, and an end Wall 20 may be located near the feed end of the rolls to assist in directing the ears from the conveyor to the rolls.

When one of the rolls, such as 2, is mounted on pivoted or movable bearings, it is usually urged yieldingly toward active relation to the other roll by a suitablegneans, such as springs 21.

As so far described, the husking mechanism is substantially in accordance with the disclosure of the above-mentioned patent to Leister.

Desirably also the roll surfaces are provided with interfitting ribs or corrugations, for instance, ribs 25 alternating with recesses or depressed surfaces 26, these corrugations corresponding in a general way to the disclosure of my previously identified pending ap lication.

ach of the rolls or tumblers may be made in a single piece, but more desirably each roll is in a lurality of sections 30 of any convenient thickness, (in the direction of their rotative axis), and these sections are placed close together on the shaft and prevented from rotating in relation to the shaft by providing the shaft with flat faces 31 cooperating with corresponding flat surfaces in the roll section aperture 32. Desirably there are two opposite fiat surfaces on the shaft, as shown.

The actual ear supporting surfaces of the rolls are defined by the outer surfaces of the ribs 25, but the interfiitting arrangement of the cooperating ribs and channels enables the husks and silk to be firmly as ed between the rolls and quickl an e ciently stripped from the ears. he eccentric arrangement of the roll surfaces causes the ears to be agitated in an approximately vertical direction and also to a certain extent in lateral directions, assists in properly rotating the ears so that all the husks are properly seized and stripped, and also aids in advancing the ears longitudinally along the rolls to thedischarge end. The structural and operative principles of the eccentric or elliptical rolls are more clearly described in the above mentioned patent and application,

to which reference should be made for a full understanding of these principles.

Since the elliptical contour of the rolls causes their adjacent surfaces to move at different speeds during certain parts of their rotation, and since'the rolls are most desirabl provided with interfitting ribs, the ribs an rib spaces must be arranged and proportioned to provide suitable clearance to permit this variation of velocity. One such arrangement is shown and described in the above-identified application, in which the ribs and rib spaces are uniformly arranged about the roll peripheries, with a suitable difference between the length of the ribs in the direction of rotation and the length of the rib spaces, to provide the necessary clear- The greatest s eed variation between the surfaces of the ifferent rolls occurs when their elliptical axes are in line, that is four times in each rotation of one roll, but at a point midway between such axial alinement, the adjacent speed. This fact is taken advantage of in the present invention to arrange and proportion the different ribs and rib spaces, so that the necessary clearance is provided at points of greatest speed variation and a smaller clearance is provided at intermediate points, with suitable gradations between these points. For example, as shown in the drawings, the ribs 25 in line with the major elliptical axis and ribs 25 nearest to the minor elliptical axis are relatively narrow, and the adjacent spaces 26 and 26 are relatively wide, to provide sufficient clearance to permit the greatest speed variation of the two roll surfaces, which occurs when the major elliptical axis of one roll is in line with the minor ellipticalaxis of the other, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the ribs 25 are distant slightly from the minor elliptical axis they may be made slightly wider than the rib 25*, which is directly in line with major elliptical axis. Rib 25 located nearer a central point between the two elliptical axes is slightly wider than ribs 25 and 25 and rib 25 which is nearest to' the central position between the elli tical axes may be the widest rib; and the ad acent rib spaces may be narrower than the rib spaces 26 and 26 and are, in fact, desirably proportioned to have roll surfaces travel at the same onl slightly more than a running clearance wit the corresponding rib. In this way-the clearance is relatively. eat at the points of greatest relative variation of roll speed, and is reduced approximately to a minimum at intermediate points, where .the roll portions quently providing for more rapidly and efficiently stripping the husk-and silk from the ears, the mode of mani ulation of the ears by the rollsis substantially the same as-in the above-mentioned disclosures. I find that it is desirable in some cases to provide for additional movements of the ears, to insure more perfect stripping action. This desired movement consists in tilting the ears one or more times during their travel along the rolls so that the longitudinal axis of the ear lies at an an le to the plane of the two roll shaft axes. For this purpose in the present embodiment of the invention the rolls are provided each with one or more lugs or earns 40. Each roll may have desirably, at least two of these In S, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one lug being ocated about midway of the length of the roll and the other being located near the discharge end. The lugs or cams may be placed on any appropriate segments of the roll, but in a convenient structure they may be carried on special roll sections 41, provided with apertures engaging the shaft after the fashion of the main roll sections 30. When the lugs or cams are placed on special roll sections, these sections are i usually made of a length in the direction of the shaft axis equal to the desired width of the lug as best indicated in Fig. 6. A single lug may be placed on each of the sections 41 or it may have two opposite lugs, as shown in Fig.7. The periphery of the sections 41 is formed as at 42 to provide clearance for the lugs on the corresponding section of the other roll. \Vhere the section 41 has only a single lug the opposite roll section need be cut away only at a single point as indicated at 42, Fig. 4, to provide the necessary clearance.

The lugs or cams have eripheral surfaces 45 which slope outwar gradually to an apex at 46, and the cam surfaces are desirably also beveled or curved in planes of the shaft axis, this face angle or curvature being indicated at 47, Fig. 6, and also at 48, Fig. 9, the line 48 indicating a suitable bevel or curvature of the cam face in one section plane of the shaft axis. In this way as'the ears approach the cams in any possible position,-the advancing portioir'of'the ear encounters a beveled or cam surface, which acts'either by the rotation of the roll or by the axial movement of the ear, or'both, tohft the advance end of the ear and tilt the ear axis in a substantiall vertical plane, and as'shown in ,Fig. 1. his tilting moves the curved portion adjacent to the rearward end of the car into closer relation to the active roll surfaccs'and assists materially in the seizure of the husks by the roll surfaces and teeth. The tilting also facilitates the longitudinal feeding action and prevents piling up or overlap mg of the ears. As each ear asses away rom the cammed portion of t e rolls, it is tilted in the opposite direction.

The cars may be fed to the husking rolls either end first, or they may be arranged so that they move all point first, or all butt first. While the mechanism will operate under any of these conditions in'an improved fashion as compared with previous structures, I have found by study and experiment that ver much improved results are obtained when t e ears are arranged to move butt first. Therefore, in the most desirable performance of the method forming a part of this invention, as the method is performed in connection with the described mechanism,

the ears are all arranged on the conveyor 15,

so that they move butt or stem end first, orhowever they are supplied to the stripping rolls, they are arranged to lie butt first thereon. When the advancing butt end of each ear is encountered by the first cam on one of the tumblers, therefore, the butt end is raised, as shown in Fig. 1, and a portion of the husking surface near the tip is brought into substantially tangential contact with the convergently moving roll surfaces. The husk near the' tip is relatively loose and extends to an approximate point beyond the end of the enclosed cob. The described tilting action, therefore, brings this relatively loose and pointed portion of the husk into close engagement with the converging ribs, and the ribs immediately graspthe husk and enclosed silk and commence the stripping action, which is quickly and effectively completed in the further advance of the ear. After the ear passes the first lug or set of lugs it resumes a position substantially parallel to the roll axes and is further rotated, oscillated laterally, and advanced, and in this further movement any remaining portions of the husks or silk are stripped away, and finally as the ear nears the discharge end of the rolls it isagain tilted by the second set of cams or lugs to insure the completion of the stripping action. 1

The method forming a part of the inven tion, therefore, consists, briefly described, in advancing the corn ears axially, rotating them on their axes and oscillating them in directions transverse the axes while stripping the husk and silk away, and during a part of the described operations tilting the ears axially at an angle to their principal or normal direction of movement to position the cars more effectively for the stripping operation. In a more particular performance of the process, it includes in connection with the described features the arrangement and movement of the ears butt first during the stripping operation.

It will be understood that in the broader aspect of the invention so far as the mechanism is concerned, it comprises stripping rolls or tumblers having cooperating eccentric surfaces, the engaging portions of which continually move or oscillate laterally across a line intermediate between the roll axes; these rolls being provided with interfitting teeth or ribs, the ribs and rib spaces being arranged and proportioned to provide necessary clearance at points of speed variation between the surfaces of the different rolls,

and with approximately a minimum clearance at points where there is little or no speed variation; together with lugs or cams suitably arranged on the roll surfaces to tilt the ears for the purposes described.

While the shape of the cams or lugs 40 and the complemental recesses for them may be varied considerably, it is desirable in many cases to make the contour of the recess fit closely the form of the cam, so that the cam and recess substantially interlock, provision only being made forthe necessary running clearance. The recess in this case is substantially a concave impression of the cam, modified sufficiently to allow the necessary rolling movement, as shown in Fig. 10. Especially the rearward outer ortion, or peak, of the cam at the point w, is desirably arranged to fit closely against a shoulder y, forming a part of the cooperating recess. When the cams and recesses are arranged in this or a similar way the cams perform an active husk stripping function and the cam apexes w, especially, have an important husk pulling and cutting action. This feature is important in connection with the cams at the delivery ends of the rolls where in the case of an ear that is not debiitted, that-is, one that is left with a long stem, such an car, will be properly husked by the action of the cams.

A modification of the roll support and bearing arrangement is shown in Fig. 11. In this case a free space 50 of ample proportions is left between the bearing supports at the discharge ends of the rolls, to permit free passage of husks. In this modification the movable bearings 6 are carried by slidable blocks 51 guided by splines or ribs 52 on the base 9, and the approach of roll 2 to roll 1 is limited at the proper point by a shoulder 53 on the base engaged by an inner face 54 of the block 51. B this arrangement any jamming of the hu s near the ends of the rolls is prevented.

While the tumblers are described above as having in cross section an elliptical outline it should be understood that they are not necessarily in true elliptical form, and the curvature of the roll surface may be modified within reasonable limits to provide proper approximate engagement of the surfaces of the cooperative rolls.

3. Husking mechanism comprising cooper-- ating substantially parallel rotary tumblers, each having different points'of its periphery disposed at different distances from its axis of rotation, the roll peripheries being provided with interfitting ribs and rib spaces, the rib clearance being relatively large at points farthest and least removed from the rotative axis and the clearance being smaller at intermediate points.

4. Husking mechanism comprising a pair of substantially parallel rotary tumblers, each having different points of its periphery disposed at different distances from its axis of rotation, the roll peripheries being provided with interfitting ribs and rib spaces, the rib clearance being relatively large at points farthest and least removed from'the rotative axis and the clearance being smaller at intermediate points, and means for rotating the tumblers in opposite directions at uniform angular spee 5. Husking mechanism comprising "cooperating elliptical rolls, the roll surfaces being provided with interfitting longitudinal ribs and spaces, the ribs being relatively narrow and the spaces being relatively wide adjacent to the elli tical axes, and the ribs being relatively wider and the spaces narrower at points intermediate the elliptical axes, whereby the amount of rib clearance is adapted to the relative speed variations of the roll surfaces.

6. Husking mechanism comprising a 00- operating pair of elliptical rolls connected to move at the same and uniform angular speed, the roll surfaces being provided with interfitting longitudinal ribs and spaces, the ribs being relatively narrow and the aces being relatively wide adjacent to the ellipmamas tidal axes, and the ribs being relatively wider and the spaces narrower at points mtermediate the elliptical axes, whereby the amount of rib clearance is adapted to the of suflioient size to tilt the ear in a substantially vertical plane at an angle to the roll axes during a part of its travel along the roll surfaces.

8. Corn husking mechanism comprising a air of rotatively connected husking rolls aving a proximately parallel axes and downwar ly inclined from the feed to the discharge end, the rolls being provided with substantially continuous interfitting stripping ribs, one roll bein at a lower level than the other, one of t e rolls being pro- 1 vided with a projection of sufiicient size to tilt the ear in a substantially verticalplane at an angle to the roll axes during a part of its travel along the roll surfaces.

9. Corn husking mechanism comprising a pair of inclined substantially parallel eccentric rolls, one of the rolls being provided with a projecting lug of suflicient size to tilt the ears in relation to the-rolls during their travel along the roll surfaces.

10. Corn husking mechanism comprising a pair of inclined substantially parallel eccentric rolls, the rolls being provided with projecting lugs of suflicient height and longitudlnally spaced to tilt the ears in relation to the rolls during their travel, along the roll surfaces.

11. Corn husking mechanism, comprising a pair of cooperating rolls having surfaces eccentric to the axis of rotation, the roll surfaces being provided with interfitting ribs and spaces, one of the rolls having a lug projecting beyond the outer rib surfaces and of sufficient height to tilt the ears.

12. Corn husking mechanism, comprising a pair of cooperating rolls having surfaces eccentric t0 the axis of rotation, the roll surfaces being provided with interfitting ribs and spaces, the rolls having lugs projecting beyond the outer rib surfaces, said lugs being longitudinally spaced and of suflicient height to tilt the ears.

13. Corn husking mechanism, comprising a pair of cooperating husking rolls having substantially parallel inclined axes, each roll having ear supporting and husking surfaces disposed at different distances from its axis of rotation, the surfaces having interfitting ribs and spaces, one roll also having a projecting lug inclined in respect to the direction of rotation and longitudinal progression of the'ears said lug being of suficient height, to tilt the ears in relation to the common axial lane of the rolls.

14. Corn hus ing mechanism, comprising i a pair of interconnected coo rati hus mg rolls having substantial y para. el incllned axes, each roll having ear supporting and husking surfaces disposed at difi'erent distances from its axis of rotation, the surfaces having interfitting ribs and spaces each roll also having longitudinally space projecting lugs inclined In respect to the direction of rotation and longitudinal rogression of the ears and of suflicient'height to tilt the ears in relation to the common axial plane of .the rolls.

15. A method of husking corn, comprising advanoin corn ears longitudinally, rotating them an positively tilting the ears angularlyin respect to their general direction of longitudinal movement and in a substantially vertical plane while subjecting the husks to the action of stripping devices.

16. A method of husking corn, comprising advancing corn ears longitudinally, rotating and agitating them laterally with respect to their longitudinal axes and positively tilting the ears angularly in respect to their general direction of longitudinal movement and in a substantially vertical plane while subjecting the husks to the action of stripping devices.

17. A method of husking corn, com risin advancing ears of corn longitudinal v an butt first, rotating the ears, and positively tilting the ears angularly in respect to their general direction of longitudinal movement and in a substantially vertical plane while subjecting the husks to the action of gripping and stripping elements.

18. A method of husking corn, comprising advancing a succession of ears of corn longitudinally, but first, rotating and agitating the ears laterally, and positively tilting the ears angularly in respect to their general direction of longitudinal movement and in a substantially vertical plane while subjecting the husks to the action of gripping and stripping elements.

19. In husking mechanism, cooperating husking rolls, one of the rolls being rovided with a cam of suflicient height to efinitely tilt the ear, and the other roll having a re cess, the walls of which fit the 'cam closely but with v provision of necessary running clearance.

20. Husking mechanism comprising a pair 3f approximately elliptical husking rolls provide with interfitting ribs, one of the rolls being provided with a projecting cam having a beveled contour in the direction of rotation and also in the axial direction of the roll, the other roll having a recess approximately fitting the cam with necessary running clearance, a peripheral portion of the vcooperating substantially parallel rotar tumblers, each having different points of its ent Widths to provide ifi'erent clearances at different circumferential peripheries.

22. Corn husking mechanlsm comprising points of the roll periphery disposed at different distances from its axis of rotation, the roll peripheries being provided with interfitting corrugations having different clearances, the clearances being relatively large at points farthest and least removed from the rotative axis and the clearances being smaller at intermediate points.

23. Corn husking mechanism comprising a pairof husking rolls having approximately parallel rotative axes in approximately horizontal, moderately tilted arrangement, one of the rolls being provided with a projection of suflicient height to tilt the ear in a substantially vertical plane and at a decided angle to the roll axes during a part of its y an ear engages only one lug at a time.

25. Corn husking mechanism comprising a pair of cooperating rolls having their axes in approximately horizontal, moderately tilted arrangement, one of the rolls having :1 lug projecting beyond its surface and of sufficient'height to tilt a passing ear in a substantially vertical plane and at a substantial angle to the roll surface whereby the rolls are caused to grip and strip the husk near one end of the ear.

Signed at Westminster in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland this 16th day of September A. D. 1921.

RALPH COVER. 

